


Between Identities

by SweetMemories1998



Series: Gruvia Royal AU [1]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Avatar Arc (Fairy Tail), Dai Matou Enbu | Grand Magic Games Arc, F/M, Family, Gruvia - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, Part 1, Royalty, Tartaros Arc (Fairy Tail), royal au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-07 20:25:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17372708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetMemories1998/pseuds/SweetMemories1998
Summary: Who were Juvia's parents? Why didn't they raise her? Were they still alive? Not even Juvia knew the answer to these questions. After the truth is finally revealed, she spends months struggling with it. Until Gray's unintended betrayal leads her to finally embrace her true identity. (Gruvia) (Juvia's Past) (Three-Shot)





	1. Waiting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ship-ambrosia](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=ship-ambrosia).



**Hello, dearest readers. 2019 has begun and I am back on AO3!**

**I don't even know why I stopped posting on this site, but now I'm back to it. Gonna post all of the one-shots I've written recently, one each day.**

**This is my first story of 2019 and I gotta say, I'm proud of it. From what I've written so far, it's turned out pretty good. (and short too. What a miracle!)**

**Then again, I guess you'll be the judges of that.**

**First let me explain how this will work: This story will be divided in 2 parts. The first one will have 3 chapters and will cover Juvia's backstory, as well as Gruvia moments from the Grand Magic Games, Tartaros, and a bit of the Avatar arc.**

**The second part will be a multi-chapter story including Avatar and Alvarez Arcs and it will follow the episodes of the new season. Therefore, if you haven't watched the anime or read the manga, there will be SPOILERS.**

**Now, let's begin with this first part. I made sure to include plenty of Gruvia moments, of course, as well as flashbacks to her childhood.**

**You'll notice I didn't actually change much from Juvia's backstory, I merely interpreted it my own way.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

**July 14th, X773**

_A young girl stared out the window as two other children were directed towards a carriage. Her eyes were sad once she watched a couple take each child's hand and help them inside the vehicle._

_A woman in her forties came into the room just after the carriage left and gave the girl a sympathetic look. "How are you doing today, Juvia?"_

_"Why didn't they choose me, Ms. McGonagal?" The question came out before she could stop herself._

_"I don't know. But I'm certain someone will choose you someday." Was the woman's response._

_"What if they don't?" That was Juvia's worst fear. Staying in that place forever; trapped._

_"Then I guess you'll be keeping me company." The adult knelt down and gave her a bright smile. "You can help me look after the younger kids. We'll have some fun."_

_"I don't want that." The child shook her head, pouting. "I want to have a mommy and a daddy. I want to go home." Her frustration was easily felt and, as if on cue, rain started to pour._

_"And where is your home, I wonder?" Ms. McGonagal whispered, ever curious. "You were left here at only a few weeks old. No notes, no explanations. Not even a name."_

_"But my name is Juvia!" The young girl protested._

_"Yes, that's right." Giving a false smile, the caretaker stood up."Now, it's almost dinner time, so why don't you go freshen up, dear?" Nodding, Juvia walked towards the small bathroom to wash her hands._

_The woman watched her with interest. "She's truly a mystery, this one. I wonder if she'll ever learn the truth."_

* * *

**July 3th, X791**

"I didn't know that." Cana stared at the bluenette in surprise.

"I'm so sorry, Juvia." Mirajane placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder while smiling sadly.

"So you really have no idea who your parents are?" Laxus asked, interested.

"That's gotta suck." The brunette said.

"Sometimes knowing who they are is worse." The dragon slayer sighed, and they gave him sympathetic looks.

Ivan had been arrested earlier that day and everyone was still talking about it and coming up with theories. Some even went as far as to say that Laxus knew about his plan all along and aided him.

"I wish I did." Juvia said, sighing.

"You could figure it out." Gajeel suggested.

"You've suggested that many times." She pointed out.

"And you always say no. What's with that?" Biting her lip, Juvia admitted yet another secret.

"I'm scared." They gave her confused looks.

"Scared of what?" Cana asked.

"That they didn't want me. Knowing that will be worse than anything I could think of." Once again, they were sympathetic.

"If they didn't, it's their mistake." Gajeel reassured her.

"And what if they did want you? What if something happened and that's why they had to give you up?" Mirajane pointed out.

"You'll never know if you don't search." Cana told the bluenette, but before she could reply, the door of their hotel room was forcefully opened by none other than Natsu Dragneel.

"Alright, who's ready to party?" While they raised brows, Erza explained.

"We figured it'd be nice for both teams to bond for a while." As soon as Juvia spotted Gray, a smile immediately lightened her face.

"I like that idea." She whispered, trying to contain her excitement. By then she was well aware that being overly affectionate only made him uncomfortable.

"Hey, Juvia. How are you?" The ice mage casually asked, coming to seat beside her. She tried her best to contain herself as they lightly chatted for the next few hours.

The night turned out to be a lot of fun, with the continuation of the game of truth or dare and even a drinking contest which Cana won, obviously.

Even though Juvia's mind was overwhelmed by questions regarding her parents, she tried her best to push them aside and just enjoy the time spent with the friends she had never thought she would have.

* * *

_**October 12th, X779** _

_"What are you doing here?" Juvia nearly jumped._

_"I...I'm just...Sorry." Keeping her head down, she stepped back from the window and began walking away. The girl with dark brown hair pulled in a braid and brown eyes stared at her suspiciously for a moment before approaching the window as well._

_Her eyes scanned the view until she spotted the young couple that Juvia had been watching. "Don't tell me you've been watching Yuri and Liz being disgusting?"_

_"I don't think they're disgusting." The 12-years-old replied in a small voice, stopping._

_"I see." The older girl smirked. "I bet you wish you could have someone to be disgusting with, don't you?" Juvia didn't reply._

_"Will you stop calling them disgusting, please, Anne?" Another girl came in; she had light skin, blonde hair and blue eyes._

_"It's none of your business, Laura." Anne rolled her eyes._

_"Don't listen to her, Juvia." Laura gave the younger girl a soft smile. "She's just jealous because she doesn't have anyone."_

_"Neither do you." The brunette pointed out._

_"But I will someday." A dreamy look came upon the blonde's face. "I will find a handsome boy who will love me like Yuri loves Liz."_

_"You really think so?" Juvia wondered._

_"Of course!" Smiling brightly, Laura turned to her. "And you will too. Someday you'll find someone who'll do anything for you. Even give his life to save you because he will be a hero."_

_"I think you've been reading too many fairy tales." Anne rolled her eyes._

_"Mrs. McGonagal told me that sometimes fairy tales come true." Laura told her._

_"So you really think I will find someone like Yuri?" Juvia looked back towards the young couple on the gardens just as Yuri gave Liz a rose._

_"I do. You're a special girl." Liz was a rare gentle soul in the orphanage, but she was adopted a few weeks later and thus Juvia's life went back to being rainy and lonely._

_However, she never forgot the older girl's words and hung onto hope that someday they might come true._

* * *

**July 7th, X791**

"Juvia, there's something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now..." Gray seemed nervous, which only made her nervous. He had showed up out of nowhere, saved her and and now he had something important to say.

Could this be the moment she had been dreaming of? Would he confess his love to her at last? "Looks like this is about to get really awkward." She barely heard Meredy's whisper; too focused on her hopeful thoughts.

"Whatever it is, I am ready to hear it." Juvia confidently told the ice mage, who blushed. Was this really happening?

"Juvia, move!" Only Lyon's desperate scream could make her change focus. Looking back at the older mage, she was terrified to spot the laser beam heading her way.

No. This wasn't supposed to happen. There was no time to avoid it or block it. She was frozen in place, shocked and afraid.

Gray noticed it too. His expression changed from nervous to determined and before either of them knew what was happening, he had pushed her.

Juvia fell to the ground, but barely noticed it as her eyes were solely focused on him. They widened once she noticed that he had been hit by the laser and blood was spilling.

Suddenly, more beams were shot and the ice mage could do nothing once they pierced his body. It was truly horrifying and her voice was stuck in her throat.

Silent tears fell down her cheeks and she felt like her whole world was breaking once his body fell forward. Unmoving, lifeless. He was _gone_.

"Noooo!" The water mage screamed so loud that her ears hurt. Desperately, she crawled, trying to reach him.

Once her hand found his cold one, she sobbed. "Please no." She brought it to her cheek and closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears.

"Juvia..." Lyon and Meredy were staring at her, worry and sorrow in their eyes, but she ignored them.

Letting go of Gray's hand, she moved again and wrapped her arms around his middle, trying to bring his body onto her lap. Once his head was settled against her chest, she cried again.

"Please, don't leave me." No reply. He was silent, everything was suddenly silent.

"Is he really dead?" Meanwhile, Meredy was asking the other ice mage.

"I should call Chelia. She can heal him." Lyon suggested, but Juvia knew it was no use. Gray was gone, dead in her arms, and everything was cold.

"Why did you do this?" She whispered, sobbing, still trying to come to terms with what had happened.

He had sacrificed himself, willingly and selflessly, for her. Why? Did this mean, as Laura had said, that he loved her? Was that what he had been trying to say?

The answer didn't come as Gray avoided her in the following days, after being mysteriously revived. Juvia didn't see him again until the night of the Grand Ball, when many secrets were revealed.

* * *

**September 22nd, X785**

_A man with white hair and black eyes sat on the red velvet couch, staring at the newspaper in his hands. There was a picture of Fairy Tail's missing members and his eyes were focused on a certain bluenette._

_In the picture, Juvia Lockser was leaning against an angry looking Gajeel Redfox while Gray Fullbuster stood on her other side, looking towards the camera. The water mage was smiling brightly, seeming content to be amongst her friends._

_The man looked away from the image and faced the painting on the other side of the room. It was a large portrait of a woman with the same blue hair and eyes. She wore an elegant jade dress with long sleeves while sitting on a chair of the same color._

_"Unbelievable." Letting out a sigh, he shook his head. "How could I not have noticed the resemblance before?"_

_He had been cursing himself ever since he had found the picture as something clicked. Truth be told, he hadn't paid attention to Fairy Tail's water mage before, but now that she was currently missing and her face was on every newspaper alongside her friends, it was impossible to miss her._

_Earlier that morning, he had decided to actually read it himself instead of having his advisors do so. As soon as he had laid eyes on the beautiful mage on the front page, realization had sunk in._

_He had known exactly who she was and now, looking at the painting, his belief was confirmed. Juvia Lockser was indeed his daughter and she was lost. Again._

_"I will find her." The man vowed before standing up and walking away from the couch. Opening the door near the painting, he made his way into the next room, where his most trusted advisor was._

_After quickly explaining the situation and making the latter promise to keep it a secret, the man with black eyes gave the order for them to assemble all forces necessary and begin searching for the missing water mage._

* * *

**July 12th, X791**

Juvia sighed while watching her friends dance. The night hadn't turned out well so far. Not only had Gray rejected her in front of everyone, but he'd somehow disappeared before she could talk to him.

Things had been weird between them ever since his sacrifice and they had yet to discuss it. It's not as if she hadn't tried, but he just seemed to always find a way to ignore or avoid her.

She wasn't sure why, considering she had done nothing to anger him so much. Was he resenting her because she had nearly caused his death? Did he regret saving her that night?

"He doesn't regret it." She nearly jumped, looking towards Lyon, who had just appeared by her side, in shock.

"What?" He gave a small smile.

"I can tell you're thinking about Gray and what happened that night. Probably blaming yourself for it and thinking he does too." How could he know her so well?

"How do you even know?" His smile enlarged.

"Because I know Gray and his tendency to blame himself for everything." Lyon rolled his eyes. "And after seeing your reaction that night, I figured you must be feeling the same."

"He died became of me." Juvia swallowed hard, holding back tears. "And now he hates me."

"You couldn't be more wrong." The ice mage shook his head. "He doesn't hate you, if anything it's the opposite."

"Then why is he avoiding me?" She wondered, looking towards the stairs where Gray was currently talking to Erza.

"Because that's what he does." Lyon explained. "Every time something happens and he comes close to losing someone, he closes himself off. And with you, well, I saw how terrified he was when you were about to get hit by that laser."

"So what are you saying?" The bluenette asked and he gave her a reassuring smile.

"I'm saying you should give him time to get over what happened. That's all he needs." Juvia nodded, understanding.

"Okay. I can do that." She could wait for Gray. If time was what he needed, she would give him all of it. She would step back and let him figure things out for himself, no more pressure.

It was the right thing to do.

Lyon seemed like he was about to say something else, but before he could, an unexpected person joined them. Princess Hisui quickly greeted the two before telling Juvia to follow her.

With no other choice, the water mage did so and was led towards a large room with a red couch, where all the answers she'd been waiting for her entire life for awaited.

* * *

**So, thoughts?**

**What did you think of the flahsbacks to Juvia's childhood? I chose to name the young couple Yuri and Liz because that's my parents' names. They're my ultimate OTP and the main reason why I believe in love. 😍 ️**

**Can you guess who Juvia's family is based on this chapter? Shouldn't be too hard to figure out. 😉**

**Lastly, what did you think of the Gruvia scenes? I've written about Gray's sacrifice so many times, but it's amazing how different my point of view can be during each one.**

**Next chapter: Wounds. It will cover the whole truth about Juvia's past and you'll understand the true purpose of this story.**

**Happy New Year!**


	2. Wounds

**Hi, everyone. Been a while again.**

**Well, I decided to post the remaining chapters from this story so that I can get to posting the sequel soon.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

**October 15th, X784**

_"This guild sure is exciting, isn't it?" Juvia told Gajeel while watching their friends celebrate before the Fantasia Parade._

_"It's not boring at least." The dragon slayer shrugged and she giggled._

_"Certainly isn't." Finding Gray talking to Loke, she smiled._

_"Damn, woman." Gajeel followed her gaze and shook his head. "I know that look."_

_"What look?" She frowned, confused._

_"The one you were just giving stripper." Sighing, he came to a realization. "You really love him, don't you?"_

_"I do." Though her feelings for the ice mage had began as an infactuation, after she had joined Fairy Tail a month before, they had quickly escalated into something much stronger._

_"Better be careful." Gajeel's eyes narrowed. "Don't forget what happened with the last idiot."_

_"Gray is nothing like Bora." Juvia immediately said._

_"Yeah, right." He rolled his eyes once Gray stripped to his boxers. "He's worse."_

_Juvia was about to protest, but Mira approached them with the brighest smile. "Hey, you two."_

_"Hi, Mirajane." Juvia greeted, trying to be just as cheerful._

_"Why don't you join the party?" The she-devil suggested. "Everyone's having fun."_

_"No, thanks." Gajeel said. "All that noise is just making my wounds hurt. Think I'm gonna head outside."_

_"Well, what about you, Juvia?" The water mage looked towards her friends._

_"I don't know." Biting her lip, she was unsure. Did they even want her to join?_

_"Come on. There are so many people who want to meet you." Mira gently grabbed her hand._

_"Really?" The bluenette was genuinely confused. The concept that people actually wanted to meet her and become friends was still foreign to her._

_"Of course! You're a part of the family, after all." A family. Now that was a word Juvia didn't use often, didn't even think about._

_However, looking back at Gray, Lucy and the rest of Fairy Tail, she realized that she might have finally found it._

* * *

**July 12th, X791**

"Your Majesty." Juvia greeted the king with a curtsy once she spotted him on the couch.

"Please, there is no need for such formality." He told her, gently.

"Should I leave now, father?" Hisui asked, to which he shook his head.

"No, you should stay. This concerns both of you, after all." The water mage was confused at this.

"What do you mean?" Toma took a deep breath.

"I've been waiting to talk to you for quite a while now. It wasn't easy, but I knew it was best to do this once the Games were finished. Wouldn't want you to be distracted and possibly cause Fairy Tail to lose, after all."

"But why do you want to talk to me?" She found no reason for this; it made no sense.

"Because I have been looking for you for a long time, Juvia Lockser." While she raised a brow, he motioned towards the painting. "Do you know who she is?"

"No. I've never seen her before." Her heart-rate increased because, as confused as she was at the moment, she did notice the resemblance between the woman in the painting and herself.

"Her name was Iris and she was my queen." The king said, standing up from the couch. "Many years ago, I lost her during a rebellion that led to the invasion of the palace and she was murdered."

Juvia's eyes widened. Was that Hisui's mother? She didn't look so much like the jade haired princess. Or maybe...No, it _couldn't_ be.

"I'm sorry." Toma gave a small smile.

"Thank you." Taking another deep breath, he continued his tale. "After my Iris was gone, I was devastated. Even more so because she wasn't the only one I lost that night."

There was a pause and her heart were beating so fast that she was sure they could hear it. Was he about to say what she thought he was? Could her assumption be true? Could she be...

"Our daughter was kidnapped that night. We don't know by whom exactly or why, but she was taken away and I never saw her again." The king lowered his head, face overcome with sadness. "Our Juliet was so young, only a few weeks old. We had so little time with her."

"Juliet..." Juvia whispered, feeling her hopes vanish. She had been wrong, then.

"I spent years mourning for both of them." The king continued after a few moments. "Even though I searched far and wide for my daughter, she was never found.

Eventually, I decided to remarry because the kingdom still needed a queen and an heir." He glanced towards Hisui, smiling softly. "And I don't regret it because that second marriage brought me my dear Hisui. You and your mother helped me move on and I'll be eternally thankful for that."

"Father..." Hisui was clearly getting emotional, silent tears streaming down her face.

"I still don't understand...Why did you call me here?" Juvia asked, confused yet again.

"Because...you're her." The princess answered. "My sister."

"You're Juliet." Toma said, taking a step towards the two girls. "I knew it from the moment I saw your picture on the newspaper six years ago. I've been searching for you for so long, but now I've finally found you."

Juvia was overwhelmed by so many emotions that she could hardly breathe. It all felt so unreal, so impossible, but it was true.

After years of wondering, she finally knew who she was. The only remaining question was, what would she do about it?

"This is...too much." The king nodded, understanding.

"I know it's overwhelming, so I want you to take your time." He reassured her. "Think about this, ask me all of your questions and don't feel pressured. I'm not asking you to come live in the palace or to become Juliet, because I know that's not fair. Just...I would really like to get to know you."

That was her undoing. There he was, her father, standing in front of her and saying he wanted to get to know her. It was too much, so Juvia couldn't contain herself and suddenly she had fallen to her knees and thrown her arms around him.

While surprised at first, Toma smiled before hugging her back. He held her while she sobbed like the world was over and Hisui fondly watched them until he signaled for her to join, so she too hugged the water mage from behind.

Years of loneliness, fear and unsureness were gone just like that. Even though Fairy Tail had helped ease her pain, it couldn't compare to finding her birth family and knowing that they hadn't given her up, that they had wanted her and looked for her all this time.

Having her father embrace her like Juvia had always wanted, finally healed her wounds.

It healed _all_ of their wounds.

* * *

**October 15th, X767**

_A woman with long blue hair and giant blue eyes smiled while cradling the dark blue bundle in her arms. Her eyes didn't leave the pale baby that had her eyes closed since she was finally asleep._

_"Is she asleep?" A man came into the room. He had white hair and small black eyes._

_"Yes, finally." The woman looked at him and her smile enlarged. "How was the meeting?'_

_"Long." He replied, walking further into the room. Finding a seat on the red couch beside her, he also glanced at the baby. "Our Juliet sure isn't easy to handle."_

_She chuckled. "No child is easy to handle, darling."_

_"That is true." He smiled fondly. "But I'm certain we'll manage. Together." He took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze._

_"I hope so." She sighed, closing her eyes and leaning her head against his shoulder._

_"You should go to bed." He told her, gently. "I can stay with her."_

_"No, I don't want to sleep yet." She disagreed, shaking her head. "We should spend as much time as we can with her." Looking back towards the sleeping baby, she frowned. "We never know how much we may have left."_

_"Iris..." Sadness overwhelmed both once they thought about issues which had not yet been resolved._

_"I'm scared, Toma. The news of the rebellion... What if they come for us?" He protectively wrapped an arm around her, bringing her close._

_"They won't. We are safe here." Looking around the office, he was certain._

_"I hope you're right." Iris looked back towards the sleeping baby. "Because I want to be there for every step. I've heard so much about motherhood and now I want to see if it's all true."_

_"I'm sure it won't be easy, but as long as our little princess is happy, it will be worth it." Toma said, smiling fondly._

_"Precisely." A smile came upon the queen's face before she turned to face him. They leant in for a soft kiss while her arms tightened around the baby._

_Protective, caring, reassuring. Queen Iris had been willing to do anything for her daughter and King Toma had known that he would do the same for both of them._

* * *

Weeks passed after the big reveal, then months. Juvia distanced herself from her friends; not enough to become noticeable, but she started taking more solo jobs instead of going with Gajeel or Gray.

The latter didn't take long to stop avoiding her in the end, so their relationship went back to the close friendship from before Tenrou Island. After that, Juvia stopped being so affectionate and making her feelings clear.

As Lyon had suggested, she gave Gray time and it was clear he appreciated it. She watched him loosen up and relax now that she wasn't overwhelming him anymore.

They were finally in good terms and she was fine, even if she did love him still.

As it turned out, she needed time as well. Time to figure things out and decide what to do about her new identity. It wasn't easy when she thought about her family, a father and a sister who clearly loved and wanted her.

That was all she had ever wanted, but it wasn't as simple. With Fairy Tail and her friends, the choice wasn't clear.

After 2 months of consideration, Juvia decided that she wanted to keep her life as it was. She had no interest in becoming a princess and ruling a kingdom. That wasn't the future she envisioned.

Therefore, she decided to tell them about her decision and hoped they would truly understand.

* * *

**September 12th, X791.**

The water mage sat her father and sister down on the couch and revealed everything. Once she was done, Hisui's initial response was...unexpected.

"Is this because of Gray Fullbuster?" A blush colored Juvia's face.

"What? No. It's not just that, it's...How do you even know?" The princess smiled.

"You haven't exactly tried to hide the fact that you love him." Well, that did make sense.

"I've watched you two during the Games and I was told about what happened during the dragon invasion." Their father spoke next and Juvia frowned at the memory.

"I can't forget it. He died because of me." Hisui placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't beat yourself up for it." Juvia gave her a thankful look.

"Of course, it's not your fault." Toma was quick to say. "The choice was his and I believe that a man would hardly die for a woman he didn't love."

"I don't know about that." Her frown deepened.

"I do." He told her, determined. "I could see it so clearly. Even if he's fighting against it for some reason, he does love you."

"I think he just needs time. You know how slow men can be." If someone had told Juvia two months before that she would be having this conversation with Fiore's royal family, she would've never believed it.

"This is weird." The other two laughed.

"On the contrary, it feels natural." King Toma smiled.

"I wish you would stay here for longer." Hisui added. "It gets lonely sometimes."

"I'm sorry." The bluenette bit her lip, now conflicted about her decision.

"Don't be." Her father reassured her. "I meant it when I said you didn't have to choose this life."

"I'd still like to visit, if you'll have me." Juvia told him in a small voice.

"Of course. You're always welcome." His smile was bright and warm. It chased away her insecurity, her unsureness and she thanked him. She thanked both of them for being so king and comprehensive.

Once she left the castle, her heart was light and she was happy that things had gone so well. On the travel back to Magnolia, she couldn't keep her eyes off the small gift her father had given her: a pair of blue earrings that had once belonged to her mother.

King Toma had told her that they had been enchanted, so if she was ever in trouble, all she had to do was press them and help would come.

While Juvia hadn't imagined she would actually have to use them, a time came when everything fell apart and she needed her family more than ever.

* * *

**So, thoughts?**

**Did you expect Juvia to actually be a princess? I hope my explanations sufficed, but if any doubts remain, be sure to tell me.**

**What do you think of her decision? Do you believe it fits with her character? I feel like, while Juvia would be ecstatic to find her birth family, she wouldn't be too interested in leaving Fairy Tail to become a princess.**

**Lastly, what do you suppose will happen next?**

**Ps: You shouldn't think too much about Juvia's kidnapping because it won't be important to the story. I only didn't specify who took her in case I wish to write about it in the future.**

 


	3. Unready

**Last chapter is pretty much Gruvia overdose, with moments from Tartaros and Alvarez Arcs.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

Only a few weeks after Juvia decided to stay in Fairy Tail, her world was turned to chaos once the dark guild Tartaros made their move. What started out as a series of murders involving Council members soon turned into an all-out war after Mirajane, Erza and Lisanna were captured.

It was a nightmare. The guildhall was shattered to pieces after an explosion, Magnolia took a lot of damage and they found themselves facing an enemy that wasn't even human. They were demons from the books of Zeref and there were moments when Juvia questioned if they could actually be beaten.

It seemed like every time Fairy Tail took a step forward in saving the world from such monsters, they would be thrown two steps back. Whenever someone managed to overcome an obstacle, three more would appear.

The battle was never ending and, though they managed to win in the end, it wasn't without losses. Wendy, Lucy, Natsu, Erza and so many others had to make sacrifices.

Juvia had to make one too and it would haunt her forever.

Amidst her fight against Keyes, a skeleton known as Tartaros' necromancer, she learned a horrible truth about Gray's past that forced her to make yet another hard choice.

There was no time to think it through, but she tried. Tried to weight the decision that could alter their relationship forever. It could make him hate her, but she knew that losing him was far worse.

She had been struggling with what to do until Silver spoke. "Even if this will kill me, you have to do it. It's the only way to save Gray."

Tears in her eyes, heart breaking, she followed his words. As much as it pained her to sever the bond between father and son, it had to be done.

After Keyes was defeated, Gray's father contacted her again. He thanked her and made her promise to take care of his son, which only caused her to sob more.

Juvia felt so broken and sorrowful that she actually welcomed the chance to take a break once the poison began affecting her body.

When the darkness came, she welcomed it and her last thought before surrendering was that, at the very least, she had managed to save Gray and that was enough.

* * *

When Juvia woke up days later, she found none other than Princess Hisui sitting by her bedside. While confused by her presence at first, once her brain started working again, the water mage understood.

"Why…are you here?" The words came out in a weak whisper, but Hisui heard them clearly.

"Word reached the castle of what happened and I was worried." The bluenette groaned while attempting to sit up. "You should take it easy."

"I need…to find Gray…" Memories of what happened with Silver came back full force and the guilt was overwhelming.

"No one has any idea where he is." Hisui informed her. "According to what I was told, he took off right after the battle and hasn't been seen ever since."

"He's mourning." The water mage whispered, lowering her head.

"Mourning for whom?" Fiore's princess asked, curious.

"His father. I…I did something terrible." The tears came now, unstoppable. After staring at her with concern for a moment, Hisui got up from the chair and joined her on the bed. Wrapping her arms around the broken mage, she tried to comfort her sister.

Seconds passed, then minutes. Juvia allowed herself to cry and let go, but it wasn't enough. It wouldn't be enough until Gray knew what she did.

Even if he hated her, she knew it was the right thing to do. He deserved to know how his father had died and it should be his choice whether to forgive her or not.

She couldn't sway his decision this time, thus she had to be strong.

"Thank you." She told Hisui after pulling apart from the hug.

"Of course." It seemed like the princess was about to say something, but a quick glance at the infirmary door reminded her that she couldn't. "The king is here too. He'd like to see you as well."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Juvia knew that if she saw her father, she wouldn't be able to pretend anymore. She'd probably break down in his arms, seeking the comfort she'd never been given as a child.

"He's really worried about everyone who's been injured in the battle." Hisui told her.

"You can tell him that I'm okay." The bluenette faked a smile.

"I would rather not lie to him." Was the former's response.

"Once I find Gray and talk to him…I will be fine then." The water mage wasn't sure if she even believed those words.

"I sense this will be a difficult conversation." A sympathetic look came upon Hisui's face. "Good luck."

"Thank you." Silence fell upon them after that, since Juvia was lost in thought about the dreaded conversation that might ruin her and Gray's relationship.

* * *

Days later, once she was cleared by Porlyusica, Juvia went looking for Gray. It wasn't an easy task, considering no one had any idea where the ice mage may be, but eventually she came up with a probable location.

Thinking about what had happened in the war, she realized it was likely he had returned to his home town. She was aware that he hadn't been there in 11 years and seeing Silver again most likely had brought up memories of his childhood.

It stood to reason that he'd pay a visit, even if just to say goodbye.

Therefore, she followed the instructions Master gave her about how to reach Antartica and began the long travel North. Her heart never ceased to hurt whenever she thought of Gray, Silver and what she had done.

During the days it took to arrive, she was plagued by nightmares worse than any before, but she pushed them away. Now wasn't the time to give in to her fears.

The village was deserted, so spotting her beloved was easy. He sat on the ruins of one of the houses, staring at a wooden cross. She quickly noticed the name Gray had been scratched out and Silver had been written above it.

Her heart tightened and she paused for a moment. He seemed so sad, hopeless and the last thing she wanted was to make it worse. "Hey. I'm really sorry for interrupting." She called, after taking a deep breath.

"Juvia?" Gray turned around to face her. "Why the hell did you follow me here?"

"Forgive me, but…I had to come." Tears threatened to resurface, but she held them back. "You see, there's something…something wrong I did that you deserve to know about."

When he simply stared at her, she took another deep breath. "The necromancer…The one who was controlling your father…It was me who defeated him."

His eyes widened and anger was clear on his face. "You did what?!"

"I'm sorry." Juvia couldn't contain the tears anymore. "I realize that…after what I've done…I've lost the right to love you."

She didn't notice, but his entire demeanor changed upon hearing those words. "Because I know you loved him and I killed him!"

Now he was the one fighting against tears. Standing up, Gray began approaching her. She looked down, bracing herself for the worst. "It was you?"

Catching both by surprise, Gray released his hold on her and dropped his head to her chest. His arms wrapped around her in a desperate hug while he cried. "You freed him. Thank you. Thank you."

They dropped to their knees, him still clinging to her and Juvia was shocked. "Gray…"

"I'm sorry." He was crying like she'd never seen before, so vulnerable and trusting. He trusted her to see this side of him and she failed to understand why.

He was being so gentle, calm and comprehensive. So warm. "You're so warm."

* * *

After that heartbreaking moment, it was decided that they would not separate, as Juvia had expected. Instead, Gray invited her to join him in a year of training once Fairy Tail was disbanded, and she agreed.

After filling her father in on their plans and explaining she would probably be off the grid over the next few months, she followed the ice mage towards an abandoned village where they settled.

Despite her guilt and his heartbreak, their friendship resumed and they lived together in harmony. Training together, taking their meals together and going on jobs together.

It was pure bliss and she never wanted it to end.

Time slowly healed healed their wounds and Juvia began to forgive herself for Silver's death, after Gray constantly reassured that he didn't blame her.

The only problem now was their feelings. A mess of feelings that neither could deal with and it was making things hard.

While Juvia tried her best to back off and give him time, as she had vowed to herself, Gray was the one struggling now. Living with her made it impossible to ignore the fact that he was attracted to her and it didn't help that she wore much skimpier clothes than before.

Besides, he was very emotionally vulnerable after Silver's death and could no longer contain his emotions. Even if he was not yet sure exactly how he felt about Juvia, he knew that there was something there.

They lived in tension for about 4 months, until he couldn't take it anymore.

It was a day like any other. They had had their breakfast and then gone training in the woods. As per usual, Juvia had kept up with him and had even managed to get a few hits in. He didn't complain, for nothing made him happier than to watch her grow as a wizard.

After all, this meant he wouldn't need to worry the next time they fought an enemy, knowing she could handle herself. It's not as if she couldn't handle herself before, but the memory of her almost dying during the Games and then being poisoned by Keyes kept him concerned.

He knew now better than ever that he couldn't lose her. She was quickly becoming more important to him than he had ever intended and that frightened him.

While he was lost in thought, Juvia used water slicer and it hit him square in the chest. Her eyes widened in horror once he dropped to his knees, blood spilling from the wound.

"Oh no. I am so sorry." The water mage quickly came to his side, using her magic to clean the wound.

"I'm fine." Gray reassured, gently pushing her hand away while using his own magic to seal it.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." She bit her lip.

"Juvia, seriously, don't worry about it." He reassured, placing a hand on her shoulder. That's when he noticed it.

It seemed that, when she rushed to his side, one of the strings of her top had fallen. He swallowed hard once his eyes trailed it until they settled on her overexposed cleavage.

Why did she have to be so beautiful? That just made it extremely hard for him to control himself.

"Oh my goodness." Juvia whispered, blushing, once she noticed it too. She was quick to put the string back up, but that only made it worse when her top bounced.

A deep blush colored his cheeks once perverted thoughts came to mind. Nope, he had to resist it. He was a strong man and would not fall to temptation.

"Sorry about that." The bluenette apologized sheepishly. "Maybe this top wasn't the best choice to train."

"No, it's…" Gray swallowed hard, unable to divert his eyes. "It's very nice."

"Are you okay?" She sensed his discomfort, but wasn't sure what had caused it.

"Fine." He tried to look away.

"We should go back inside so that I can take a look at that wound." Before he knew it, her hand was softly grazing his chest.

"What are you doing?" Gray suddenly panicked.

"Sorry, does it hurt?" Juvia quickly removed it.

"It's not about that." She raised a brow, confused.

"Then what's it about?" She had straightened herself, her left hand now on his shoulder for support. All he could think about was that they were close. Too close.

"It's nothing." Juvia wasn't about to let it go. Her right hand came to his cheek and she stroked it gently.

"You can tell me anything, you know? You can always trust me." Damn it. Why did she have to be so kind?

"I do." A smile lightened her face, though she tried to hide it. Her hand continued to stroke his cheek and she moved even closer.

Gray could see it in her eyes; desire. It was clear she was trying to resist as much as he was and it only made him want her more.

 _Kiss her._ A voice in the back of his head said. He tried to ignore it.

Both her hands were holding his face now. She was biting her lip, clearly indecisive. _Irresistible_ , Gray thought.

He needed to get out of there, but his body didn't move. Juvia let out a sigh before giving in. She leant in and then her lips softly pressed against his.

It didn't take him long to react. Instead of pushing her away like his brain was warning, he gave in as well. One arm moved to her back as he pressed her against him while the other went to her hair, messing with it.

For a few blissful moments, they forgot about everything and simply lost themselves. No more pain, no more sorrow or nightmares.

* * *

Time passed and they had to pull apart. As soon as they did so, Gray remembered why he had been holding back in the first place.

After Juvia apologized multiple times for kissing him, he told her the truth. Explained how he had wanted it as well, but wasn't ready to take the next step.

He needed more time to heal and move on, so he asked her to wait, unaware that she had been doing so for quite a while.

She agreed, because she loved him and was willing to wait as long as he needed. Once again, Lyon's words came to mind.

Thus they resumed their dynamics, pretending as if the kiss had never happened, even though it didn't leave their minds. Now that they were on the same page, life was easier than before.

_Until it wasn't._

After the sudden appearance of black markings on his body, he began to distance himself. Juvia wondered if it was her fault and the guilt returned.

When Gray disappeared, she was heartbroken and overwhelmed by negative thoughts and emotions. Had he been leading her all that time? Did he even mean what he had said about wanting to be with her? Had he lied about forgiving her and chosen to get revenge?

Even if she knew deep down he wouldn't do something like this, he wasn't there to tell her that. Their empty house seemed to taunt and mock her.

2 weeks later, she couldn't take it anymore. Finding herself alone, damaged and sorrowful, she made a decision that would have immense repercussions. A choice that would place her in great danger, while also giving her an opportunity to save the people she loved.

Juvia chose to become someone else. Or rather, to become the person she was always supposed to be: Juliet E. Fiore, the lost princess.

With her friends long gone and now Gray too, she had nothing and no one. She wanted a family and her biological one was in Crocus.

Therefore, she decided to join her father as he had suggested before, which meant Juvia Lockser would cease to exist.

Perhaps she should've given her decision more thought, but at the moment she was sure. Once her fingers pressed the earrings king Toma had presented her with, everything changed.

* * *

**So, thoughts?**

**Did you like the addition of Juvia x Hisui here? There will still be many interactions between them in the sequel, so I hope it doesn't seem too weird.**

**What did you think of my take on the Gruvia confession and then the kiss scene? I am 100% sure that something happened between those two during the time-skip cause, come on, they were living together! Surely there must've been at least a kiss before Gray left.**

**Lastly, anyone care to try and guess what's happening in the sequel? I'll leave the summary and title below with plenty of hints.**

**Title:** Between Lies

 **Summary:** Becoming Princess Juliet turns out to be far more interesting than Juvia had anticipated. An unexpected proposal leads to a dangerous mission that could prevent a war, but also ruin her life. New allies join her, but once Gray's location is revealed, she's forced to make a choice. Is there still a chance for them?

**Till next time, my lovelies. ;)**


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